Embedding images into a surface using occlusion

ABSTRACT

A three-dimensional relief can be produced from one or more two-dimensional digital (2D) images. A height field is computed from the one or more 2D images and illumination direction information. The height field comprises a multiplicity of geometric surface elements arrayed in a 2D field corresponding to the pixels of the one or more 2D images. Each geometric surface element corresponds to a pixel of each of the digital images and has at least one height parameter representing a displacement from a surface floor. Once the height field is computed, optimizations or adjustments can optionally be made to the height field. The height field can be used to fabricate relief elements in a material, such that each relief element corresponds in shape, position in the height field, and height above the surface floor, to one of the geometric surface elements in the height field.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/323,812, filed Apr. 13, 2010, entitled “EMBEDDING IMAGES INTO A SURFACE USING OCCLUSION,” is hereby claimed, and the specification thereof incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.

BACKGROUND

A relief is a three-dimensional (3D) sculpture or sculpted surface having a relatively shallow depth with respect to a background plane. For centuries, sculptors have created reliefs by imagining a compressed-depth image of a 3D object and sculpting the image features into the surface of a material, such as a rectangular block of stone, at their compressed depths. An example of a relief having an extremely shallow depth (sometimes referred to as a bas-relief) is the sculpted bust of a person or other subject on the face of a coin. In the example of a coin, the relief conveys to the observer an image of the person or other subject. The manner in which light falls upon a relief contributes to the 3D effect. In the example of a coin, illumination is typically very even, i.e., non-directional, across the relief. As a result of this type of uniform illumination and the shallow depth of the relief, the image that the relief conveys appears very uniform to an observer over a wide range of viewing angles. In an example in which the subject of the relief is a person's face, the face appears essentially the same to the observer regardless of the viewing direction. Most reliefs are intended by the sculptor to be viewed essentially head-on, i.e., from a direction along a normal to the background plane. A deep or unevenly illuminated relief will not appear quite the same when viewed from different directions. Though a sculptor may not think in such terms, the sculptor has in mind a certain fixed association between light reflected from the relief surface and the surface normal.

Computer-assisted techniques for producing reliefs from 3D digital models have been described. The techniques address the above-referenced depth compression and other issues. The output of such techniques is a digital model of the relief. Such a digital model could then be used to drive an automated fabrication machine that sculpts the relief from a block of material or to produce a mold for manufacturing the relief through a molding process.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for producing a three-dimensional relief from one or more two-dimensional digital (2D) images. In an exemplary embodiment, a height field is computed from the one or more 2D images and illumination direction information. The height field comprises a multiplicity of geometric surface elements arrayed in a 2D field corresponding to the pixels of the one or more 2D images. Each geometric surface element corresponds to a pixel of each of the digital images and has at least one height parameter representing a displacement from a surface floor. Once the height field is computed, optimizations or adjustments can optionally be made to the height field. The height field can be used to fabricate relief elements in a material, such that each relief element corresponds in shape, position in the height field, and height above the surface floor, to one of the geometric surface elements in the height field.

Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention will be or become apparent to one of skill in the art to which the invention relates upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages are encompassed by this description and the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention can be better understood with reference to the following figures. The elements shown in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. Also, in the figures like reference numerals designate corresponding elements throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system that is programmed and configured to effect a method for producing a relief, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a subject illuminated by two light sources.

FIG. 3 illustrates a subject illuminated by three light sources.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an exemplary relief produced by the method of FIG. 6.

FIG. 5 illustrates a representation of pyramidal surface element, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for producing a relief using the system of FIG. 1, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for producing a relief using the system of FIG. 1, in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of an exemplary relief produced by the method of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As illustrated in FIG. 1, in an illustrative or exemplary embodiment of the invention, a system 10 for producing a three-dimensional (3D) relief 12 from one or more two-dimensional digital (2D) digital images 14 includes a computer system 16 that controls a fabrication system 18. In the exemplary embodiment, computer system 16 essentially can be a personal computer system that has been suitably programmed or otherwise configured, as described below. But for the software elements described below, computer system 16 can have a conventional structure and configuration. Accordingly, computer system 16 includes hardware and software elements of the types commonly included in such computer systems, such as a processor subsystem 20, a memory subsystem 22, non-volatile data storage 24 (e.g., a hard disk drive, FLASH memory, etc.), a network interface 26, and one or more ports 28 for reading from and writing to external devices. Such external devices can include a removable data storage medium 30, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) “thumb drive.” Computer system 16 also includes a peripheral interface 32 through which data communication with a keyboard 34, mouse 36, display 38 and the above-referenced printer 18 occur. Peripheral interface 32 can comprise USB ports of the same type as port 28 or any other suitable type of ports. In other embodiments, computer system 16 can include hardware and software elements in addition to those described herein or that are different from those described herein. The above-described elements can communicate with one another via a digital bus 40. Computer system 16 can communicate with remote devices (not shown) via a network connection 42, such as a connection to the Internet.

Memory subsystem 22 is generally of a type in which software elements, such as data and programming code, are operated upon by processor subsystem 20. In accordance with conventional computing principles, processor subsystem 20 operates in accordance with programming code, such as operating system code and application program code. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, such application program code can include the following software elements: a height field computation element 44, a height field adjustment (or optimization) element 46, and an output controller element 48. Although these software elements are conceptually shown for purposes of illustration as stored or residing in memory subsystem 22, persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates can appreciate that such software elements may not reside simultaneously or in their entireties in memory subsystem 22 but rather may be retrieved in portions on an as-needed basis, e.g., in code segments, files, modules, objects, data structures, instruction-by-instruction, or any other suitable basis, from data storage 24 or other suitable source (e.g., via network connection 42). Note that although only height field computation element 44, height field adjustment element 46, and output controller element 48 are shown for purposes of clarity, other software elements of the types conventionally included in computers systems that enable them to operate properly are generally included, such as operating system software.

It should be noted that, as programmed or otherwise configured in accordance with the above-described software elements, the combination of processor subsystem 20, memory subsystem 22 (or other element or elements in which software is stored or resides) and any related elements generally defines a programmed processor system 50. It should also be noted that the combination of software elements and the medium on which they are stored or in which they reside (e.g., memory subsystem 22, data storage 24, removable data storage medium 30, etc.) generally constitutes what is referred to in the patent lexicon as a “computer program product.”

The above-referenced one or more 2D digital images 14 can be stored in data storage 24 or other suitable data storage medium in the form of one or more files and used as input to the computer-implemented method in the manner described below. Likewise, output files 52 (e.g., representing information that can be used to drive the computer-controlled fabrication system 18) can be stored in data storage 24 or other suitable data storage medium. In some embodiments the process or method of producing a producing a 3D relief from one or more 2D images 14 can give rise to one or more intermediate or temporary data files or data structures (not shown), which can be stored in data storage 24, memory subsystem 22, or other suitable location. As persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates can appreciate, any of the above-described software elements, including data files, can be stored in any suitable format in any suitable location or combination of locations, in whole or part, and are only conceptually shown in FIG. 1 for purposes of illustration.

Preliminary to the computer-implemented method described below, at least one 2D digital image 14 is captured or otherwise provided to computer system 16. As illustrated in FIG. 2, one such 2D digital image 14 (FIG. 1) can represent a subject 54 illuminated by a first light source 56, illuminating subject 54 from a first direction 58. Another such digital 2D image 14 can represent the same subject 54 illuminated by a second light source 60 from a second direction 62. Although the exemplary subject 54 shown in FIG. 2 represents an abstract 3D design, embodiments of the invention can use any scene as the subject, involving any suitable type of animate or inanimate subjects. As just one example, a face or head may provide an interesting subject for reasons described below. Indeed, anything that has conventionally been used as subject matter for a relief or that would occur to persons to use as subject matter for a relief can be the subject of 2D digital image 14.

Note in FIG. 2 that the exemplary subject 54 does not represent a real object but rather a physically impossible shape. As such, subject 54 illustrates that the subject of 2D digital image 14 (FIG. 1) need only be something that can be represented in the digital realm in a manner that includes illumination information. For a physically impossible shape such as subject 54, the illumination must be applied in the digital realm. This can be done by image processing techniques that are well understood in the art. In the case of a subject that is a real object, a 2D digital image of the subject, illuminated by two or more light sources, can be captured by conventional photographic means (not shown). For purposes of clarity, subject 54 is shown in FIG. 2 in line drawing form without any shading that would represent illumination by light sources 56 and 58.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, in other embodiments, a first 2D digital image 14 (FIG. 1) can be provided of subject 54 as illuminated by a first light source 64 from a first direction 66; a second 2D digital image 14 can be provided of subject 54 as illuminated by a second light source 68 from a second direction 70; and a third 2D digital image 14 can be provided of subject 54 as illuminated by a third light source 72 from a third direction 74.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the method described below can use the two above-described 2D digital images 14 (FIG. 1) to produce a relief 12 that, when illuminated by a first light source 56′ from the first direction 58′, conveys to an observer an image of subject 54 as illuminated from the first direction 58′ and, when illuminated by a second light source 60′ from the second direction 62′, conveys to an observer an image of subject 54 as illuminated from the second direction 62′.

Although FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate instances in which all of the 2D digital images 14 are of the same subject, in other instances the 2D digital images 14 can be of different subjects. For example, a first 2D digital image 14 can be of a person's face while the person is smiling and illuminated from a first direction, and a second 2D digital image 14 can be of the same person's face while the person is frowning and illuminated from a second direction. Although drawing figures relating to such an example are not included for purposes of clarity, the method described below can use such images to produce a relief that, when illuminated from the first direction, can convey to the observer an image of the smiling face and, when illuminated from the second direction, can convey to the observer an image of the frowning face.

As shown in the enlarged area 75 of FIG. 4, relief 12 comprises an array of pyramidal relief elements 76 arrayed in an x-y plane. There are a sufficiently large number (i.e., a multiplicity) of such pyramidal relief elements 76 that a person observing relief 12 from a distance does not perceive them individually but rather perceives only their collective visual effect. As shown in FIG. 5 and further described below with regard to the exemplary methods, each pyramidal relief element 76 of relief 12 (FIG. 4) is fabricated to correspond to a pyramidal surface element 77 in the digital model realm. Each pyramidal surface element 77 comprises four triangular facets 78, 80, 82 and 84 that adjoin each other at five vertices 86, 88, 90, 92 and 94. Vertex 86 is at the center of the pyramid, where triangular facets 78, 80, 82 and 84 adjoin each other. Vertex 86 is surrounded by vertices 88, 90, 92 and 94 at the corners of the pyramid. The array of pyramidal surface elements 77 defines what is commonly referred to in the art to which the invention relates as a height field. As described below, the method involves computing a height of each of vertices 86, 88, 90, 92 and 94 above a reference plane (commonly referred to in the art as a floor of the surface to which the height field relates). Vertices 86, 88, 90, 92 and 94 can be assigned parameters that include an x-y position in the height field and a height above the floor. In the exemplary embodiment, each pyramidal surface element 77 has the following parameters: vertex 88 has an x position parameter x, a y position parameter y, and a height parameter h(x,y); vertex 90 has an x position parameter x, a y position parameter y+1, and a height parameter h(x,y+1); vertex 92 has an x position parameter x+1, a y position parameter y+1, and a height parameter h(x+1,y+1); vertex 94 has an x position parameter x+1, a y position parameter y, and height parameter h(x+1,y); and the center vertex 86 has an x position parameter x+½, a y position parameter y=½, and height parameter h_(c)(x,y). Although in the exemplary embodiment each surface element 76 has a pyramidal shape, in other embodiments the surface elements may have other suitable geometric shapes.

In the exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method of producing a 3D relief 12 from at least one 2D digital image 14 can be initiated by a person (user) who operates computer system 16. A user can operate computer system 16 locally using keyboard 34, mouse 36, display 38, etc., or remotely via network connection 42. In operation, and in accordance with the effects of software elements that can include height field computation element 44, a height field adjustment element 46, and output controller element 48, computer system 16 can provide a suitable user interface through which the user can interact with computer system 16. Although such a user interface is not described herein in further detail, it should be noted that a user can control computer system 16 in a manner that allows the user to selectively apply the adjustments or optimizations described below that are associated with height field adjustment element 46. Thus, in some instances a user can select any number (zero or more) of the adjustments, in any combination with each other or with other image processing, depending on whether in the user's judgment the adjustment will improve the appearance of relief 12.

An exemplary method of producing a 3D relief 12 from at least one 2D digital image 14 is illustrated by the flow diagram of FIG. 6. In operation, computer system 16, in accordance with height field computation element 44, computes the height field using two 2D digital images 14, as indicated by block 96.

In the surface model described below that is used to represent relief 12 in the digital realm, each pixel of each of the two 2D digital images 14 is associated with not just one but with several pyramidal surface elements 77. Together, pyramidal surface elements 77 provide enough degrees of freedom that the different resulting radiance values are integrated by the observer's perception at a realistic viewing distance. For an embodiment in which two such 2D digital images 14 form the input data to the method, the method creates two different radiance values for each pyramidal surface element 77 when the pyramidal surface element 77 is illuminated by light sources from two correspondingly different directions.

Stated another way, the four triangular facets 78-84 (FIG. 4) have different normals (not shown) and thus different foreshortening. When viewed from a distance, a human observer will perceive the aggregate radiance of the four triangular facets 78-84. That is, the model provides a discrete relief surface that reproduces each pixel's intensity as the integrated radiance of the four triangular facets 78-84 of the pyramidal surface element 77 corresponding to the pixel. The model can be described as follows.

The model involves several simplifications or assumptions that may not hold true under all conditions. For example, it can be assumed for purposes of the model that two light source directions I⁰, I¹ are fixed, and two discrete gray level images are given I⁰, I¹ are elements of the set

^(m×n). It can further be assumed that the observer is at a sufficient distance relative to the size of the relief (i.e., in a direction v=(0,0,1) that the pyramidal surface elements 77 are not individually apparent to the observer.

The radiance per pixel can be derived as follows. The vertices of the pyramidal surface element 77 corresponding to each pixel of each of the 2D digital images 14 can be denoted as p(x,y)=(x,y,h(x,y))  Eqn. (1)

The center vertex 86 (p_(c)) surrounded (counterclockwise) by the corner vertices 88-94 (FIG. 5) p(x,y), p(x+1,y), p(x+1,y+1), p(x,y+1) can be denoted as

$\begin{matrix} {{p_{c}\left( {x,y} \right)} = {\left( {{x + \frac{1}{2}},{y + \frac{1}{2}},{h_{c}\left( {x,y} \right)}} \right).}} & {{Eqn}.\mspace{14mu}(2)} \end{matrix}$

The radiance of a pyramidal surface element 77 is computed as viewed from the v=(0,0,1) direction. Note that the projected area of all four triangular facets 78-84 is ¼. The cross products of edges can be denoted as incident on the center vertex 86 as ñ ₀(x,y)=(p _(c)(x,y)−p(x,y))×(p _(c)(x,y)−p(x+1,y)) ñ ₁(x,y)=(p _(c)(x,y)−p(x+1,y))×(p _(c)(x,y)−p(x+1,y+1)) ñ ₂(x,y)=(p _(c)(x,y)−p(x+1,y+1))×(p _(c)(x,y)−p(x,y+1)) ñ ₃(x,y)=(p _(c)(x,y)−p(x,y+1))×(p _(c)(x,y)−p(x,y))  Eqn. (3) and then their lengths denoted as n _(i)(x,y)=∥ñ _(i)(x,y)∥, where i is a member of the set {1,2,3,4}.  Eqn. (4)

The reflected radiance L(x,y) of the pyramidal surface element 77 as illuminated by one of light sources (l) 56 and 58 (FIG. 2) is

$\begin{matrix} {{L\left( {x,y} \right)} = {{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{4}{{\frac{1}{4} \cdot \frac{{{\overset{\sim}{n}}_{i}\left( {x,y} \right)}^{T}}{n_{i}\left( {x,y} \right)}}1}} = {\frac{1}{4}\left( {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{4}{\frac{1}{4} \cdot \frac{{\overset{\sim}{n}}_{i}\left( {x,y} \right)}{n_{i}\left( {x,y} \right)}}} \right)^{T}1}}} & {{Eqn}.\mspace{14mu}(5)} \end{matrix}$

As it is important to the optimization or adjustment methods described below that ñ_(i) is a linear function of the heights {h_(i)}, h_(c), the non-linear part of the radiance function can be included in the lengths n_(i). For ease of re-implementation, the linear equations for the radiance in terms of the variables {h_(i)} and h_(c) relative to a light direction l=(l_(x), l_(y), l_(z)) can be written as:

$\begin{matrix} {{{\begin{pmatrix} {\frac{1}{2}\left( {l_{x} + l_{y}} \right)\left( {\frac{1}{n_{1}} + \frac{1}{n_{4}}} \right)} \\ {\frac{1}{2}\left( {{- l_{x}} + l_{y}} \right)\left( {\frac{1}{n_{1}} + \frac{1}{n_{2}}} \right)} \\ {\frac{1}{2}\left( {{- l_{x}} - l_{y}} \right)\left( {\frac{1}{n_{2}} + \frac{1}{n_{3}}} \right)} \\ {\frac{1}{2}\left( {l_{x} - l_{y}} \right)\left( {\frac{1}{n_{3}} + \frac{1}{n_{4}}} \right)} \\ {{l_{x}\left( {\frac{1}{n_{2}} - \frac{1}{n_{4}}} \right)} + {l_{y}\left( {\frac{1}{n_{1}} - \frac{1}{n_{3}}} \right)}} \end{pmatrix}^{T}\begin{pmatrix} {h\left( {x,y} \right)} \\ {h\left( {{x + 1},y} \right)} \\ {h\left( {{x + 1},{y + 1}} \right)} \\ {h\left( {x,{y + 1}} \right)} \\ {h_{c}\left( {x,y} \right)} \end{pmatrix}} + {l_{z}{\sum\limits_{n_{1}}^{4}\frac{1}{n_{i}}}}} = {4{L\left( {x,y} \right)}}} & {{Eqn}.\mspace{14mu}(6)} \end{matrix}$

Equation (6) can be solved for the heights of the vertices of each pyramidal surface element above the reference plane. The results can be stored in a digital output file 52 (FIG. 1) or other location.

As indicated by blocks 98, 100 and 102 in FIG. 6, any of several adjustments or optimizations can optionally be made to the relief surface (i.e., the data of output file 52) as part of computing the height field (block 96). Such adjustments can be made to the height field by computer system 16 operating in accordance with height field adjustment element 46 (FIG. 1). Although such adjustments can be made independently from each other in other embodiments of the invention, in the exemplary embodiment the adjustments indicated by blocks 98-102 are made in combination with each other using a weighted methodology in accordance with the following: E+E _(g) ⁰ +E _(g) ¹ +w _(c) E _(c) +w _(p) E _(p) +w _(h) E _(h)  Eqn. (7)

where the E terms represent energies, and the w terms represent the weights.

As indicated by block 98 in FIG. 6, the image difference terms E_(g) in equation (7) above can be minimized by computing the squared differences between radiance gradients and the corresponding input image gradients. The weights w in equation (7) depend on the light source direction, the gradient direction and the position. The global energy for fitting the gradients of the input images can be expressed as:

$\begin{matrix} {E_{g}^{b} = {{\sum\limits_{x = 1}^{m - 1}{\sum\limits_{y = 1}^{n}{E_{x}^{b}\left( {x,y} \right)}}} + {\sum\limits_{x = 1}^{m}{\sum\limits_{y = 1}^{n - 1}{E_{y}^{b}\left( {x,y} \right)}}}}} & {{Eqn}.\mspace{14mu}(8)} \end{matrix}$

The squared differences between radiance gradients and the corresponding (compressed) input image gradients can thus be expressed as: E _(x) ^(b)(x,y)=w _(x) ^(b)(x,y)(L _(x) ^(b)(x,y)−D _(x) ^(b)(x,y))² E _(y) ^(b)(x,y)=w _(y) ^(b)(x,y)(L _(y) ^(b)(x,y)−D _(y) ^(b)(x,y))²  Eqn. (9)

The compressed image gradients D can be expressed as: D _(x) ^(b)(x,y)=C(I ^(b)(x+1),y)−I ^(b)(x,y)) D _(y) ^(b)(x,y)=C(I ^(b)(x),y+1)−I ^(b)(x,y))  Eqn. (10)

where C is a function that compresses the value of its argument:

$\begin{matrix} {{C(a)} = {{{{sgn}(a)} \cdot \frac{1}{a_{d}}}{\log\left( {1 + {\alpha_{d}{a}}} \right)}}} & {{Eqn}.\mspace{14mu}(11)} \end{matrix}$

As indicated by block 100 in FIG. 6, the surface smoothness term E_(c) in equation (7) relates to a desire to minimize the height, i.e., maximize the flatness, of each pyramidal surface element. The surface smoothness terms above can be minimized by computing the second order differences within a pixel of the input image. For center vertices, the smoothness term can be expressed using a sum of their squared Laplacians:

$\begin{matrix} {E_{c} = {\sum\limits_{x = 1}^{m}{\sum\limits_{y = 1}^{n}\left( {{h\left( {x,y} \right)} + {h\left( {{x + 1},y} \right)} + {h\left( {{x + 1},{y + 1}} \right)} + {h\left( {x,{y + 1}} \right)} - {4{h_{c}\left( {x,y} \right)}}} \right)^{2}}}} & {{Eqn}.\mspace{14mu}(12)} \end{matrix}$

Intuitively, minimizing the surface smoothness term pulls each center vertex 86 towards the mean height of the corresponding center vertex 86 of neighboring pyramidal surface elements 77. However, moving the center vertex 86 to the mean height may not be enough to keep the geometry of a pixel planar. Thus, it may also be useful to consider second order smoothness of corner vertices 88-94 of each pyramidal surface element 77. The second order smoothness term, E_(p), which appears in equation (7) above, can be expressed as:

$\begin{matrix} {E_{p} = {\sum\limits_{x = 1}^{m}{\sum\limits_{y = 1}^{n}\left( {{h\left( {x,y} \right)} + {h\left( {{x + 1},y} \right)} + {h\left( {{x + 1},{y + 1}} \right)} - {h\left( {x,{y + 1}} \right)}} \right)^{2}}}} & {{Eqn}.\mspace{14mu}(13)} \end{matrix}$

As indicated by block 102 in FIG. 2, the height difference term E_(h) in equation (7) relates to a desire to damp large height values. The height difference term promotes the resulting heights being close to a set of desired heights h*(x,y). The height difference term can be expressed as:

$\begin{matrix} {E_{h} = {\sum\limits_{x = 1}^{m}{\sum\limits_{y = 1}^{n}\left( {{h\left( {x,y} \right)} - {h^{*}\left( {x,y} \right)}} \right)^{2}}}} & {{Eqn}.\mspace{14mu}(14)} \end{matrix}$

The desired heights h*(x,y) are predetermined values. That is, in advance of using computer system 16 to effect the methods described herein, the desired heights h*(x,y) are selected by a user or other person or built into the software as constant values. The selection of the desired heights h*(x,y) depends on the objective of the method. For example, different desired heights h*(x,y) can be selected for the method described herein with regard to FIG. 6 than for the method described herein with regard to FIG. 7. In view of the descriptions herein, persons skilled in the art will readily be capable of selecting the desired heights h*(x,y). For example, for relatively small heights, the desired heights h*(x,y) can be set to h(x,y) which allows the heights to vary over the iterations of the iterative method described below. For larger heights, the values can be reduced after each iteration. For example, a compression function can be used: h*(x,y)=α_(h) log(1+α_(h) h(x,y))  Eqn. (14)

The above-referenced iterative method for minimizing the total energy E or error term in equation (7) above can be performed as follows. On each iteration, a linearized gradient is set to zero by solving a linear system for the heights of the vertices. The linear system includes terms representing the above-referenced set of desired heights h*(x,y). Note that equations (8, 12, 13, 14) are rearranged into the form Ax=b, where A is a matrix of coefficients, b is a vector of coefficients, x is a set of unknowns h(x,y) and h_(c)(x,y). This linear system can be solved using any of a number of methods well known to persons skilled in the art. The set of desired heights h*(x,y) is then updated with the results of the solution of the linear system. More specifically, the set of desired heights {h*(x,y)} and the set of values {n_(i)} are expressed as constants in the linear system and are updated on each iteration. The foregoing steps are repeated until the energy E decreases below a predetermined or fixed threshold energy value E_(thresh) or the difference in the value of the energy E at two consecutive iterations (E_(n)−E_(n-1)) is smaller than a predetermined or fixed value E_(diff).

Once the height field has been computed (block 96) and any adjustments made to it (blocks 98-102), the resulting height field data can be used to fabricate relief 12, as indicated by block 104. For example, computer system 16, operating in accordance with output controller element 48 (FIG. 1) can transfer the height field data in the form of an output file 52 (FIG. 1) to fabrication system 18 (FIG. 1), such as a computer-controlled milling or engraving machine or a rapid prototyping (“3D printer”) machine. A milling machine, for example, can remove material from a solid block of material (not shown) in accordance with the height field, leaving an array of relief elements in the block of material, where each corresponds in shape, position in the height field, and height above a surface floor, to one of the pyramidal surface element 77 in the height field. Any suitable material can be used, such as a block of plastic or ceramic. If the material does not have a surface texture that is sufficiently diffuse, it can be coated with paint or other material that provides a diffuse surface texture. Alternatively, a machine can create a mold corresponding (negatively) to the height field, and a relief can then be molded using the mold. Various other fabrication methods will occur to persons skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein.

The resulting relief 12 can be used in this exemplary embodiment by placing the above-described two light sources 56′ and 60′ (FIG. 4) that respectively illuminate relief 12 generally from directions 58′ and 62′. Note that directions 58′ and 62′ correspond to the illumination directions 58 and 62 of the original subject 54 (FIG. 2) and that these are the directions in which such light sources were modeled in the equations above. The image that relief 12 conveys to the observer is shown for purposes of clarity in FIG. 4 in line drawing form and without shading. However, in practice an observer would perceive the image in different ways, depending upon the direction from which the light falls on relief 12. For example, relief 12, as illuminated by one such light source 56′, conveys to an observer (not shown), who is located substantially at the position in which such an observer was modeled in the equations above, an image that corresponds to the above-referenced 2D input image 14 that was captured or otherwise provided with subject 54 illuminated from the direction 58. Likewise, the same relief 12, as illuminated by the other such light source 60′, conveys to an observer (not shown), who is located substantially at the position in which such an observer was modeled in the equations above, an image that corresponds to the above-referenced 2D input image 14 that was captured or otherwise provided with subject 54 illuminated from the other direction 62.

Although not shown in the drawing figures for purposes of clarity, a perhaps more dramatic example of the method can involve two 2D digital images that are substantially different from each other. For example, as described above, a first 2D digital image 14 can be of a person's face while the person is smiling and illuminated from a first direction, and a second 2D digital image 14 can be of the same person's face while the person is frowning and illuminated from a second direction. A relief 12 produced by the above-described method, when illuminated from the first direction, would convey to an observer located substantially at the position in which such an observer was modeled in the equations above an image of the smiling face, and when illuminated from the second direction, would convey to an observer located substantially at the position in which such an observer was modeled in the equations above an image of the frowning face.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, in another embodiment, as indicated by block 96′, the height field is computed in a manner similar to that described above with regard to FIG. 6 except that three 2D digital images are used as input. The three 2D digital images can be, for example, those described above with regard to FIG. 3. That is, a first one of the 2D images represents subject 54 illuminated by red light from the first direction 66; a second one of the 2D digital images represents the same subject 54 illuminated by green light from the second direction 70; and a third one of the 2D digital images represents the same subject 54 illuminated by blue light from the third direction 74. As indicated by blocks 98′-102′, adjustments can be made in the same manner as described above with regard to blocks 98-102 in FIG. 6.

As indicated by block 104′, the computed height field data can then be used to fabricate a relief 12′ (FIG. 8). Computer-controlled fabrication system 18 (FIG. 1) can be used in the same manner described above to produce relief 12′ from a material.

The resulting relief 12′ can be used in this exemplary embodiment by placing three light sources 64′, 68′ and 72′ that respectively illuminate relief 12′ generally from the directions 66′, 70′ and 72′. Note that directions 66′, 70′ and 72′ correspond to the illumination directions 66, 70 and 72 of subject 54 (FIG. 3) and that these are the directions in which such light sources 64, 68 and 72 were modeled in the equations above in accordance with this embodiment. The image that relief 12′ conveys to the observer is shown, for purposes of clarity in FIG. 8 in monochromatic line-drawing form and without shading. However, in actuality an observer of relief 12′ would perceive an image in full color. That is, relief 12′, as illuminated by a red light source 64′ from a first direction 66′, a green light source 68′ from a second direction 70′, and a blue light source 72′ from a third direction 74′, conveys to an observer (not shown) who is located substantially at a position in which such an observer was modeled in the equations above an image that corresponds to the above-referenced 2D input image 14 that was captured or otherwise provided with the subject illuminated by light sources 64, 68 and 74 (FIG. 3). Each pyramidal relief element in relief 12′ reflects the red, green and blue light in proportions that convey to the observer a mixture of those colors that corresponds to the pixel color in the original 2D digital image.

In the manner described above with regard to exemplary embodiments of the invention, a 3D relief can be produced that conveys to an observer two or more images or a single image in two or more ways, depending on the positions of the observer and the light sources illuminating the relief. In some instances, the exemplary method can use as input two or more 2D digital images that are substantially similar to each other. In such instances, the exemplary method can produce a relief that conveys images to an observer that the observer perceives as similar to one another. For example, such as relief can convey images of the same subject illuminated from different directions. In other instances, the exemplary method can use as input two or more 2D digital images that are substantially different from each other. In such instances, the exemplary method can produce a relief that conveys images to an observer that the observer perceives as different from one another. For example, such a relief can convey images of two different subjects. In a more specific example, such a relief can convey an image that the observer perceives as transitioning from one subject to another as the observer's position or the illumination changes with respect to the relief. In still another instance, a relief produced by the exemplary method can convey an image in full color when simultaneously illuminated by red, green and blue light from different directions.

While one or more embodiments of the invention have been described as illustrative of or examples of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments are possible that are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not to be limited by such embodiments but rather is determined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer implemented method for producing a three-dimensional relief from at least one two-dimensional digital (2D) image, the method being implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors and a computer-controlled fabrication system, the method comprising the steps of: computing, using the one or more processors, a height field from a first 2D digital image and a second 2D digital image and illumination direction information, the height field defining a multiplicity of geometric surface elements arrayed in a 2D field, the multiplicity of geometric surface elements corresponding to a multiplicity of pixels of the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image, individual ones of the geometric surface elements corresponding to pixels of both the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image, individual ones of the geometric surface elements having at least one height parameter representing a displacement from a surface floor, individual ones of the geometric surface elements comprising multiple facets, each facet of a given geometric surface element having a different normal, including a first facet of a first geometric surface element having a first normal and a second facet of the first geometric surface element having a second normal that is not parallel to the first normal, wherein the first facet of the first geometric surface element corresponds to a first pixel of the first 2D digital image and the second facet of the first geometric surface element corresponds to a second pixel the second 2D digital image; and fabricating, using the computer-controlled fabrication system, an array of relief elements in a material, each relief element corresponding in shape, position in the height field, and height above the surface floor, to one of the geometric surface elements in the height field, wherein by virtue of the array of relief elements being illuminated from a first illumination direction and a second illumination direction, the individual facets of each relief element reproduce a pixel of either the first 2D digital image or the second 2D digital image depending on the illumination direction, including a first relief element that corresponds in shape, position in the height filed, and height above the surface floor to the first geometric surface element, the first relief element being fabricated to include the corresponding first facet and second facet, wherein the first facet of the first relief element reproduces the first pixel when the first relief element is illuminated from the first illumination direction, and the second facet of the first relief element reproduces the second pixel when the first relief element is illuminated from the second illumination direction, such that an observer perceives the first 2D digital image when the array of relief elements is illuminated from the first illumination direction and the observer perceives the second 2D digital image when the array of relief elements is illuminated from the second illumination direction.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein each geometric surface element has a pyramidal shape with four triangular facets, five vertices, each vertex defined by a position in the height field and a height parameter.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of computing a height field comprises computing a height of each vertex above the surface floor from the illumination direction information and the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of computing a height of each vertex comprises computing the height of each vertex using a set of linear equations representing aggregate radiance values of the triangular facets of the geometric surface elements in terms of vertex heights relative to at least one illumination direction.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing a height field comprises computing a minimized error term defined by a weighted combination of an image difference term, a surface smoothness term, a second-order smoothness term, and a height difference term.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of computing a minimized error term comprises: setting a linearized energy gradient to zero by solving a linear system for the heights of the vertices, the linear system including a set of heights; and updating the set of heights; wherein the steps of setting a linearized energy gradient to zero and updating the set of heights are iteratively performed until a minimized error decreases below a predetermined threshold value or a difference in error value at two consecutive iterations is smaller than a predetermined difference value.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing a height field comprises adjusting height field radiance.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of adjusting height field radiance comprises computing an image difference term expressed as a squared difference of radiance gradients and corresponding gradients of the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing a height field comprises adjusting height field smoothness.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of adjusting height field smoothness comprises computing a surface smoothness term expressed as second-order differences within each pixel.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of adjusting height field smoothness comprises computing a second order smoothness term of corner vertices.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing a height field comprises adjusting height field range.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of adjusting height field range comprises computing a height difference term between resulting heights and a predetermined set of desired heights.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing a height field comprises computing a height field from the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image and from illumination direction information representing the first illumination direction and the second illumination direction, wherein the first illumination direction corresponds to the first 2D digital image and the second illumination direction corresponds to the second 2D digital image.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image represents the same subject as the other but illuminated from a different direction.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing a height field comprises computing a height field from the first 2D digital image, the second 2D digital image, and a third 2D digital image and from illumination direction information representing three illumination directions.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the first 2D digital image, the second 2D digital image, and the third 2D digital image represents the same subject as each other but illuminated with a different one of red, green and blue light.
 18. A system for producing a three-dimensional relief from at least one two-dimensional digital (2D) image, comprising: a computer-controlled fabrication system configured to produce the relief from a material and relief data; and a programmed processing system comprising a processor subsystem and a memory subsystem, the programmed processing system executing instructions to: compute the relief data, the relief data comprising a height field, the height field being computed from a first 2D digital image and a second 2D digital image and illumination direction information, the height field defining a multiplicity of geometric surface elements arrayed in a 2D field, the multiplicity of geometric surface elements corresponding to a multiplicity of pixels of the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image, individual ones of the geometric surface elements corresponding to pixels of both of the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image, individual ones of the geometric surface elements having at least one height parameter representing a displacement from a surface floor, individual ones of the geometric surface elements comprising multiple facets, each facet of a given geometric surface element having a different normal, including a first facet of a first geometric surface element having a first normal and a second facet of the first geometric surface element having a second normal that is not parallel to the first normal, wherein the first facet of the first geometric surface element corresponds to a first pixel of the first 2D digital image and the second facet of the first geometric surface element corresponds to a second pixel of the second 2D digital image; and wherein the computer-controlled fabrication system fabricates an array of relief elements in the material, each relief element corresponding in shape, position in the height field, and height above the surface floor, to one of the geometric surface elements in the height field, wherein by virtue of the array of relief elements being illuminated from a first illumination direction and a second illumination direction, the individual facets of each relief element reproduce a pixel of either the first 2D digital image or the second 2D digital image depending on the illumination direction, including a first relief element that corresponds in shape, position in the height filed, and height above the surface floor to the first geometric surface element, the first relief element being fabricated to include the corresponding first facet and second facet, wherein the first facet of the first relief element reproduces the first pixel when the first relief element is illuminated from the first illumination direction, and the second facet of the first relief element reproduces the second pixel when the first relief element is illuminated from the second illumination direction, such that an observer perceives the first 2D digital image when the array of relief elements is illuminated from the first illumination direction and the observer perceives the second 2D digital image when the array of relief elements is illuminated from the second illumination direction.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein each geometric surface element has a pyramidal shape with four triangular facets, five vertices, each vertex defined by a position in the height field and a height parameter.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the programmed processing system computes the height field by computing a height of each vertex above the surface floor from the illumination direction information and the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image.
 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the programmed processing system computes the height of each vertex using a set of linear equations representing aggregate radiance values of the triangular facets of the geometric surface elements in terms of vertex heights relative to at least one illumination direction.
 22. The system of claim 18, wherein the programmed processing system computes the height field by computing a minimized error term defined by a weighted combination of an image difference term, a surface smoothness term, a second-order smoothness term, and a height difference term.
 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the programmed processing system computes the minimized error term by: setting a linearized energy gradient to zero by solving a linear system for the heights of the vertices, the linear system including a set of heights; and updating the set of heights; wherein the steps of setting a linearized energy gradient to zero and updating the set of heights are iteratively performed until a minimized error decreases below a predetermined threshold value or a difference in error value at two consecutive iterations is smaller than a predetermined difference value.
 24. The system of claim 18, wherein the programmed processing adjusts height field radiance in computing the height field.
 25. The system of claim 24, wherein the programmed processing system adjusts height field radiance by computing an image difference term expressed as a squared difference of radiance gradients and corresponding gradients of the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image.
 26. The system of claim 18, wherein programmed processing system adjusts height field smoothness in computing the height field.
 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the programmed processing system adjusts height field smoothness by computing a surface smoothness term expressed as second-order differences within each pixel.
 28. The system of claim 26, wherein the programmed processing system adjusts height field smoothness by computing a second order smoothness term of corner vertices.
 29. The system of claim 18, wherein the programmed processing system adjusts height field range in computing the height field.
 30. The system of claim 29, wherein the programmed processing system adjusts height field range by computing a height difference term between resulting heights and a predetermined set of desired heights.
 31. The system of claim 18, wherein the programmed processing system computes the height field from the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image and from illumination direction information representing the first illumination direction and the second illumination direction, wherein the first illumination direction corresponds to the first 2D digital image and the second illumination direction corresponds to the second 2D digital image.
 32. The system of claim 31, wherein each of the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image represents the same subject as the other but illuminated from a different direction.
 33. The system of claim 18, wherein the programmed processing system computes the height field from the first 2D digital image, the second 2D digital image, and a third 2D digital image and from illumination direction information representing three illumination directions.
 34. The system of claim 33, wherein each of the first 2D digital image, the second 2D digital image, and the third 2D digital image represents the same subject as each other but illuminated with a different one of red, green and blue light.
 35. A non-transitory computer program product for producing a three-dimensional relief from at least one two-dimensional digital (2D) image, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium on which is stored in executable form instructions that, when executed on a computer system, cause the computer system to: compute relief data, the relief data comprising a height field, the height field being computed a first 2D digital image and a second 2D digital image and illumination direction information, the height field defining a multiplicity of geometric surface elements arrayed in a 2D field, the multiplicity of geometric surface elements corresponding to a multiplicity of pixels of the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image, individual ones of the geometric surface elements corresponding to pixels of both of the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image, individual ones of the geometric surface elements having at least one height parameter representing a displacement from a surface floor, individual ones of the geometric surface elements comprising multiple facets, each facet of a given geometric surface element having a different normal, including a first facet of a first geometric surface element having a first normal and a second facet of the first geometric surface element having a second normal that is not parallel to the first normal, wherein the first facet of the first geometric surface element corresponds to a first pixel of the first 2D digital image and the second facet of the first geometric surface element corresponds to a second pixel the second 2D digital image; and control a computer-controlled fabrication system to fabricate an array of relief elements in a material, each relief element corresponding in shape, position in the height field, and height above the surface floor, to one of the geometric surface elements in the height field, wherein by virtue of the array of relief elements being illuminated from a first illumination direction and a second illumination direction, the individual facets of each relief element reproduce a pixel of either the first 2D digital image or the second 2D digital image depending on the illumination direction, including a first relief element that corresponds in shape, position in the height filed, and height above the surface floor to the first geometric surface element, the first relief element being fabricated to include the corresponding first facet and second facet, wherein the first facet of the first relief element reproduces the first pixel when the first relief element is illuminated from the first illumination direction, and the second facet of the first relief element reproduces the second pixel when the first relief element is illuminated from the second illumination direction, such that an observer perceives the first 2D digital image when the array of relief elements is illuminated from the first illumination direction and the observer perceives the second 2D digital image when the array of relief elements is illuminated from the second illumination direction.
 36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein each geometric surface element has a pyramidal shape with four triangular facets, five vertices, each vertex defined by a position in the height field and a height parameter.
 37. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to compute the height field by computing a height of each vertex above the surface floor from the illumination direction information and the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image.
 38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to compute a height of each vertex using a set of linear equations representing aggregate radiance values of the triangular facets of the geometric surface elements in terms of vertex heights relative to at least one illumination direction.
 39. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to compute the height field by computing a minimized error term defined by a weighted combination of an image difference term, a surface smoothness term, a second-order smoothness term, and a height difference term.
 40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to compute the minimized error term by: setting a linearized energy gradient to zero by solving a linear system for the heights of the vertices, the linear system including a set of heights; and updating the set of heights; wherein the steps of setting a linearized energy gradient to zero and updating the set of heights are iteratively performed until a minimized error decreases below a predetermined threshold value or a difference in error value at two consecutive iterations is smaller than a predetermined difference value.
 41. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to adjust height field radiance in computing the height field.
 42. The computer program product of claim 41, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to adjust height field radiance by computing an image difference term expressed as a squared difference of radiance gradients and corresponding gradients of the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image.
 43. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to adjust height field smoothness in computing the height field.
 44. The computer program product of claim 43, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to adjust height field smoothness by computing a surface smoothness term expressed as second-order differences within each pixel.
 45. The computer program product of claim 43, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to adjust height field smoothness by computing a second order smoothness term of corner vertices.
 46. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to adjust height field range in computing the height field.
 47. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to adjust height field range by computing a height difference term between resulting heights and a predetermined set of desired heights.
 48. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to compute the height field from the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image and from illumination direction information representing the first illumination direction and the second illumination direction, wherein the first illumination direction corresponds to the first 2D digital image and the second illumination direction corresponds to the second 2D digital image.
 49. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein each of the first 2D digital image and the second 2D digital image represents the same subject as the other but illuminated from a different direction.
 50. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to compute the height field from the first 2D digital image, the second 2D digital image, and a third 2D digital image and from illumination direction information representing three illumination directions.
 51. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein each of the first 2D digital image, the second 2D digital image, and the third 2D digital image represents the same subject as each other but illuminated with a different one of red, green and blue light. 